Who: Mariachi Vasquez, made up of Raul, 48; Sylvia, 51; Anisa, 25; Julie, 23; Amanda, 21 (pictured on left); Raulito, 19; Vicente, 17
The Vasquez family is not your typical mariachi group. The middle child is a skateboarder, complete with punked-out hair and sideways baseball cap. The baby of the family loves beating his father at Xbox. But for 15 years, this seven-member family has united as a single voice – Mariachi Vasquez. Recognized as one of the Southwest’s premier mariachi groups, Mariachi Vasquez has released three CDs and has performed everywhere from the Telluride Jazz Festival to the Stockton, Calif., Mariachi Festival. We caught up with Raul, 48; Sylvia, 51; Anisa, 25; Julie, 23; Amanda, 21; Raulito, 19; and Vicente, 17, as they prepared to host the Sixth Annual Denver Mariachi Festival this weekend.
How did you get started in the mariachi business?
Sylvia: Basically, our inception in the genre of mariachi all began with a prayer to God for guidance, and with his blessing we were able to begin the group, which, thanks to him, has now grown to its current status. Also, my husband has been performing mariachi music professionally since he was 11 years old, and I came from a musical background as well, so once we had our children they were brought up around music.
Did all the kids want to join the group, or did you have to talk some of them into it? Did some want to do other forms of music or performance?
Raul: Actually, since they began performing at such a young age, they pretty much grew up thinking it was normal; we did not really have to talk any of the children into it. And although everyone does have their own taste in music, everyone is currently happy performing in Mariachi Vasquez.
What’s it like growing up in a family of mariachis?
Raulito: It’s actually a little hard to describe, since our group is pretty different from other mariachis. We have more of a modern style in our song choices and in the way we present ourselves. Anisa: For instance, mariachis are mostly males; it’s not a genre girls perform in, so that makes us different. Also, our group is known as a “hair group” because we change our hairstyles so much.
You’ve recorded some nontraditional mariachi songs like “Blue Moon” and “Sentimental Journey.” Why is that, and how do you decide which songs to sing?
Raulito: Most of our fans are so diverse that, as artists, we try to accommodate them. Also, since we grew up listening to so many different kinds of music, it influenced the nontraditional selection of our repertoire.
Why did you decide to teach the first-ever mariachi class at North High School in Denver?
Julie: Growing up in this generation, we felt that there was a lack of education of what mariachi music truly is; that its true beauty was being lost. So with that in mind, we wanted to make sure that future generations had the opportunity to experience and know about mariachi music, and hopefully do away with any preconceived stereotypes that some had about mariachi music.
BEST OF THE FEST
The Vasquez family expects about 5,000 people to attend the Sixth Annual Denver Mariachi Festival at the Colorado Convention Center. The five-day festival begins Tuesday with three days of mariachi and Ballet Folklorico workshops, followed by a vocal competition Friday at La Rumba nightclub in Denver. The competition winner will perform at a mariachi concert Saturday night, along with Mariachi Vasquez, Latin Grammy nominee Manuel Vargas and his Mariachi Sangre Mexicana, El Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara and Mariachi Sol de mi Tierra. Tickets for all events are available at King Soopers. For more information, call 303-688-7177 or visit mariachivasquez.com.
